Angela @ The Mango Memoirs

The Most Adorable Subjects

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Angela @ The Mango Memoirs • 2 Comments

I just adore these two. They certainly make excellent subjects for photography practice!

And our squash. It did a good job playing my depth of field subject. Well done, squash. Well done.

We’re soaking in every ounce of warm sunshine we have left before the frost comes. It’s really just a matter of days. So Sunday afternoon, while it was shining beautifully on the deck, Ella and I took our paints out to the table.

Painting is a fairly still activity, so of course it had to be balanced out with some leaps off the deck furniture.

I’m having a ball with my photography class. Just a few more days of it and then I’m on my own! I’m thrilled with the new lens I have that allowed me to capture each of these. And I’m beginning to use my Canon more than my iPhone! Perhaps someday I’ll be considered a sort of photographer. How dreamy.

Filed Under: Projects

{inspired} 25 Truly Enticing Pumpkin Recipes

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Angela @ The Mango Memoirs • 2 Comments

I absolutely adore pumpkin in the fall! Once Starbucks starts making Pumpkin Spice Lattes in September, I consider it open season. Pumpkin pie, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin soup, and especially my mom’s amazing pumpkin bars. Seriously, so good. I was amazed with all the recipes available when I searched recently on Pinterest. I compiled a list of 25 recipes to share with you, but there are even more on my autumn Pinterest board!

25 Enticing Pumpkin Recipes

Filed Under: {inspired}

Five on Friday

Posted on October 24, 2014 by Angela @ The Mango Memoirs • 2 Comments

Today I’m joining The Good Life Blog, Carolina Charm, A. Liz Adventures and Hello! Happiness again for Five on Friday! Here are five really fantastic moments from the last week!

ONE //
a date with Ella for lunch and a hair cut!

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Autumn Love

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Angela @ The Mango Memoirs • 2 Comments

We sure do love autumn in our house! It’s always been one of my very favorite times of the year, and now it seems even more magical with the littles. We’ve been out & about while the weather is still a bit warm, breathing in fresh air and running through piles of fallen leaves. I still can’t believe it’s nearly the end of October! This weekend we’ll be celebrating the season with harvest parties at church and at Ella’s school. Dressed up, of course! The kids’ costumes are ready and Ella is probably more excited for her costume than any other she’s had. The kids are going to be adorable!

This month I’m taking an online photography class, so I’m finally learning how to use my lovely Canon DSLR! Most of the photos below have been early practice. Since taking them, I’ve learned how to change all kinds of settings, so {hopefully} the photos on the blog will be getting better and better!

Last week we celebrated our lovely friend Audrey’s 2nd birthday in her grandma’s adorably decorated back yard. Audrey’s mama and grandma create beautiful, creative parties! The afternoon sun was perfect for playing outside between the trees.

Sam In The Kitchen

Filed Under: Marriage & Family

Down Syndrome Awarenss: People First Language

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Angela @ The Mango Memoirs • 5 Comments

Sam was not the first person in my life with Down syndrome. Before our little man arrived, I worked with a young woman with Down syndrome at a local high school. I will never forget the first day I walked into the classroom. Her face brightened as she exclaimed, “I’m so happy to see you again!” I had never met her before, but her genuine happiness in seeing me absolutely made my day. She asked me to sit and help her with her work, which that day was adding up dimes and quarters on a worksheet. I worked with her for one semester. This was after we had moved back to Duluth and Ella was a year old. I decided to take an online class through the university to expand my knowledge of teaching special education classes since it was something I felt I had lacked while teaching before Ella was born. During that semester, I needed to write a paper on a specific area of special needs. I chose Down syndrome. It wasn’t until Sam was about 6 months old that I remembered the assignment. Amazing how a thing in our past can become something much more than we ever could have imagined.

Filed Under: Down Syndrome

Sammy’s Superheroes Returns!

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Angela @ The Mango Memoirs • 1 Comment

Did you know October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month? It’s true! There are multiple other groups advocating for awareness this month, too, like breast cancer and dwarfism. We’re focusing primarily on Down syndrome, of course, in celebration of our sweet Samuel. To spread awareness this week, I’m sharing a few photos from our very recent trip to St Paul for the annual Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk put on by the Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota. In years past, the walk has also been held in Duluth, but this year it was not, so we happily made the trek down to join thousands of others to celebrate the awesomeness of Down syndrome. It was fun to see friends from the Twin Cities area and participate in such a huge event. There were over 8,000 people!